From personal experience I can tell you that buying good quality seeds is very important to get your desired results. You need to find a reputable seed company or supplier and get your seeds from them. Be sure to read all the instructions that come with the seeds packets and find out if special care is required during the growing period. Another way to get those special seeds that you want is to trade seeds with family members or friends. In this case, make sure that you find out the type of seed you are getting and any planting instructions.

Choose the type of light carefully. Sunlight is ideal but new seedlings require at least twelve hours of sunlight each day to grow. This is almost impossible for most gardeners to do so be creative and use artificial light in conjunction with natural sunlight. To get natural sunlight, just place the containers on the windowsills or in an area around the house where the sun shines in most of the day. In addition to natural sunlight, you will need some artificial form of light like fluorescent light. The idea here is to have your seedlings get lots of light during the day and let them rest at night.

When buying the containers for indoor seed starting, choose the ones that can hold at least 2 inches of soil with good drainage. Keep in mind that individual containers are beneficial in that there is more protection to the plants roots when you are ready to plant in your flower garden. Shop around for the containers and pick the types that are more suitable for you or just use eggshells. If you want to have a greenhouse effect and provide more humidity to the seeds, buy containers with covers. Make sure that your new seeds are planted on good soil for healthy growth.

Follow the tips above and you will have new plants for your garden in no time. You can save some money by starting your plants from seeds because seeds are cheaper. Do buy seeds from a good seed company for best results. Personally, I buy my seeds from Park Seed Company and they have been in business for many years.

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Daffodils are easy to grow and according to Breck’s which I consider a reputable Dutch bulb company, a successfully naturalized daffodil garden can bloom for up to 30 or even 50 years! How is that for a great flower gardening investment? Plant them once and you can almost forget about them. When you are ready to plant your daffodil bulbs, choose an area that has good sunlight and good drainage. You can even select an area where grass does not have to be mowed. Areas like hillsides or the edges of woods are ideal for planting daffodils. For a splendid look, plant lots of drifts of like kinds and in different colors. You can just take a handful of bulbs and literally throw them in the area you selected and just dig where the bulbs landed. (photo courtesy: wikipedia)

Plant your daffodils properly in order to get best results and many years of glorious blooms. Keep in mind that if you are planting your daffodils in an area with thick sod, you need to give each bulb a custom cultivated hole. You can just lift out soil from the area to make sure the hole is big enough for the daffodil bulbs. Mix the soil from the hole with some peat moss and a little low nitrogen fertilizer. Refill the hole just below the planting depth with this mix. You can also add a handful of sand to the hole and then the bulb. Adding the sand is essential as you don’t want the bulb to be in direct contact with the fertilizer. The next step is to fill the hole with more sand and then replace the sod.

That is all you need to do to plant your daffodils and have an array of gorgeous flowers in the spring and for many years to come. Be sure to buy your daffodil bulbs from a reputable company like Breck’s for best quality. There are many varieties of daffodils and different colors so be sure to select the colors you want in your flower garden or the area where you will plant them. Keep in mind that you don’t have to plant daffodils in an area with sod. You can also plant them is a small flower garden or even containers. Daffodils are very hardy and will grow in any area you choose. And you will have beautiful flowers for many years. (photo courtesy: wikipedia)

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Camellias come to mind as a favorite winter flowering plant that you can add to your garden. One preferred winter blooming camellia is called japonica and as the name infers, it is native to Japan but widely seen in Korea and China as well. It is also the official state flower of Alabama and also called the rose of winter. Although many hybrids have been developed from the camellia japonica, one of the most beautiful of all camellias is the Alba Plena. The flowers are pure white and extend 3 to 4 inches across. It blooms early winter and can continue blooming into spring. (photo courtesy: wikipedia)

You can also plant American winterberry (Ilex verticillata) and it will add gorgeous color to your garden with its bright red fruit that only ripe in the winter. The American winterberry is a species of holly that is native to eastern North America in the US and southeast of Canada and south to Alabama. During the summer months, the winterberry plant has large green leaves and it blooms with flowers bearing up to eight petals each. When the cool weather approaches, the winterberry will begin to loose its foliage and the plant will display a splash of bright red berries. Those bare branches covered with red berries will add much needed color to your flower garden.

If you don’t want to plant flowers in your garden during the cold weather, plant some in containers inside the house and place them in your window sill. The paperwhite narcissus is a gorgeous plant that is easy to plant in containers and it blooms during the winter. The white flowers come up in bunches and are very fragrant. It is best grown as a house plant and you can force it to bloom around mid December. Unlike other narcissus, paperwhite does not require chilling to promote blooms. The bulbs begin to grow as soon as you plant them and flowers appear in about 3 to 4 weeks. Remember to buy your bulbs from a reputable company like Breck’s for the best quality. Just follow the instructions that are included with your purchase and you will have beautiful flowers properly displayed on your window sill during the winter months. (photo courtesy: wikipedia)

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For some types of camellias, the blooms begin early winter and continue until spring. Some bloom from early fall into Christmas so be sure to check your gardening zone as it will tell you whether or not camellias will thrive in your area during the harsh days on winter. One thing is for sure, camellias will add much needed color to your flower garden during the winter and well into the spring season. Use them as hedges or in mixed borders where they can provide fall and winter color to your flower garden. It is recommended that you give camellias a heavy coating of mulch and some acidic soil for the plant to stay healthy.

Camellias are classified as evergreen shrubs or even small trees but there are some that grow short and you can plant them as groundcover or mixed them with other perennials in your flower garden. You can also plant camellias in containers or planters and they look spectacular when they bloom. This is such a beautiful plant bearing thick, glossy like leaves and flowers that come in red, yellow, pink and white. Camellias also bear seeds that are sometimes called the fruit of camellia plants. Follow the instructions that are provided when you buy camellias but as a general rule they don’t tolerate drought conditions so give them lots of water. (photo courtesy: wikipedia)

The leaves of a specific type of camellia are used for tea in China and Japan. The seed or sometimes called the fruit is used to make cooking oil which is widely used for millions of people especially in southern China. Other types of camellias are basically grown as ornamental plants in flower gardens to add beauty and color during the winter season which is the time when most flower gardens need it the most. Again, check the gardening zone for your area as most of the camellias I’ve seen thrive in zones 7-10. The good news is that cultivars are coming up with many new varieties that will tolerate greater cold hardiness.

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Spring flowering tulips need to be planted now in November. Hopefully you already have the bulbs and if you don’t hurry up and get them as most companies that sell tulips require several weeks for delivery. If your tulip bulbs are purchased from a local gardening place, be sure to inspect them carefully. Make sure that bulbs are not dried out and free of mold. Tulip bulbs should be firm to the touch but not dried. Check for spots or anything that may indicate that the tulip bulbs are infected with fungus. Also, grab those bigger bulbs. The bigger the tulip bulbs are the bigger the flower you will get.

Most companies that sell tulip bulbs usually provide good information and advice for planting your tulip bulbs. But keep in mind that the planting depth for your area depends on where you live. A rule of thumb to follow is that if the ground where you live does not freeze for extended periods of time, you can plant your tulip bulbs about an inch shallower that the depth suggested by most companies. Get your tulip bulbs from a reputable company like Breck’s and you can’t go wrong if you follow their instructions. (photo courtesy: Breck’s)

An important thing to remember before planting tulip bulbs is that you must have good fertile soil. If your soil is not good your bulbs, or any other plant for that matter, will not do well. Nutrient rich soil is the key to healthy plants that will give you gorgeous flowers in your flower garden. Read the instructions that are included when you purchase your tulip bulbs and find out what the best location is for planting your bulbs. Some tulip bulbs can be planted in areas of full sun while others like a shady area or maybe part sun.

Decide how you want your flower garden to look when the bulbs are in full bloom. Proper spacing is essential so just follow the instructions given by the company where you purchased your bulbs. If you want a really dramatic look, plant your tulip bulbs closer together in bunches and mixed colors. Your flower garden will surely be the envy of all your neighbors and the talk of the town! Again, in order to have healthy tulip flowers, you must plant good quality bulbs. So do buy from a reputable company like Breck’s. They have been in business for many years and the bulbs come from Holland which is known as the tulip capital of the world.

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For starters, do some research on late blooming flowers and chances are that you will find many varieties. If you like lots of color in your flower garden, choose plants like Zephyranthes Robustus (also known as grandiflora) with gorgeous clear pink flowers. They bloom late summer through fall bearing pink flowers that resemble a lily. The growth is just about ten inches tall and these can be planted on rock gardens or you can mix them with your ground cover plants. The leaves are deep glossy green and the flowers grow straight up giving your flower garden a stunning look. Zephyranthes Robustus likes full sun and medium wet soil. (photo courtesy: wikipedia.com)

Another late blooming flower for you flower garden is Salvia Uliginosa which is considered a herbaceous perennial. Be careful where you plant this one as it can grow up to six feet tall. You can plant this one as a background flower in your garden. This is a pretty plant with lots of thin stems and yellow-green leaves with serrated edges. The flowers are bright blue with a white line in the throat that points toward the nectar and the pollen. Salvia Uliginosa starts blooming in the summer and bears lots of flowers well into the fall.

And of course, let’s not forget about the old time favorite Chrysanthemums that are known as true fall flowers. The gorgeous mum like flowers will add beauty and color to your flower garden. Although Chrysanthemums are sometimes called the golden flower, they come in white, pink and red also. You can plant them in your flower garden or in large containers that you can place in a patio or any other place that you want to brighten up. Chrysanthemums are herbaceous perennial plants with deeply lobed leaves and large flower heads and are easy to grow. Mix all the colors in one container for a stunning look in your flower garden. (photo courtesy: wikipedia.com)

While it is actually too late to plant those summer flowers that bloom into the fall, you can still have a colorful flower garden by just getting Chrysanthemums in different colors. There are other blooming flowers that can add beauty to your garden in the fall and Chrysanthemums is just one of them that will last for months to come. And your garden does not have to look dead in the fall.

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If you don’t want to plant fall season plants in your garden area, plant them in containers. Container flower gardening is easy and gives a dull garden some much needed color during the fall season. All you have to do is place the containers or pots in the bare areas of your garden and you will instantly have color all over your garden. If you are planting directly on the soil, plant in early fall while the soil is still warm and this will help the growth and give you healthy plants. Also, flower containers should be placed in sunny locations and away from strong wind.

If you decide to use containers to plant your flowers, be sure to get the ones that are made of non-porous material to prevent cracking during a cold spell. The size of the containers to get depends on how much space you have in your garden or patio. I normally use containers that are about 14 inches in diameter. Another type of container or pot that you can use in your fall flower garden is the polyethylene which looks like terra cotta and are known to be well-suited for winter planting. Visit your local nursery for a wide variety of containers to use.

When you buy potting soil to use in your containers or pots, be sure it has good drainage and you can add some compost to the soil which will boost the plants with more nutrients. If you plan on keeping your plants through the winter season, then you will need to use a slow release fertilizer that will keep the plants healthy until the spring. In this case, select plants with hardiness rating a bit colder than your temperature zone. A good choice here might be planting some spring flowering bulbs like tulips. Be sure to buy your bulbs from a reputable company like Breck’s for the best quality. If you decide to plant bulbs, be sure to space them closer together than the way you would plant them in an open ground in your garden.

If you plan on leaving the containers outside, be sure to water when the soil is dry as moist soil creates heat which will protect the roots of your plants. During inclement weather conditions, group your containers closer to each other for protection. For added protection, you can wrap the containers with bubble wrap. Keep in mind that some plants or bulbs do require some cold weather so leave them out in the cold for some time before you plan winter protection.

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If you hate caterpillars as much as I do, get rid of them by mixing garlic and hot sauce with water to chase them away. Caterpillars can be very damaging to your plants. Don’t get me wrong, I love butterflies but not the babies so using a natural insecticide will just relocate them to another area. Most natural insecticides act a repellants and not as a way to kill insects. To get rid of spider mites, mix about a quarter of a cup of hydrated lime with water and also add a small drop of soap to help it stick to the plants. Be sure you measure carefully as using too much of the lime could hurt some plants. Soap can be used in different types of mixtures to repel insects, but do be aware that it will wash away with rain or automatic sprinklers.

You can also use horticulture oils that will repel insects by suffocating them. This oil covers insects with an oily film and can damage your crops and gardens as well. Home made sprays on the other hand, can repel those nasty pests and insects and can save you money and also save the environment. The key is to learn how to measure the ingredients carefully so it repels insects and do no harm to your flower gardens. Some gardeners try and use tricks to get rid of insects but tricks are not necessary enough. To get rid of your garden pests and insects you sometimes need to use more than one method to keep them under control.

While insects are not something to be scared about (although those big caterpillars do scare me) you need to be sure that they don’t destroy your flower gardens. What I also recommend is that you teach your children how to safely get rid of insects and what they learn can possibly benefit generations to come. It can’t hurt to encourage them when they are young to take responsibility for maintain gardens and keeping insects away from them. As your children grow older, they will be able to share the insecticide information with their own family.

Who knows? It is possible that your children may pursue a career later in life that deals with gardening, natural insect repellents, farming or even science. Teaching your children   about the safe use of insecticides and more importantly using natural insecticides is a gift that keeps on giving for generations to come. Your responsible actions will help nature to thrive and help the environment and your children will be responsible citizens. And, your children will have gorgeous looking flower gardens!

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Brighten up those dreary winter months by planting some blooming plants that will survive the winter. While winter months can be long and cold, you don’t have to feel its effect when your garden has lots of color and looks alive. Believe me, this is a sure cure for those winter blahs.

Let’s face it, if you can have beautiful blooms in the spring and summer, why not in the winter? We spend lots of time and effort in our gardens during spring and summer so why should it die in the winter? Spend some time planning now for your winter plantings and to help you in the process, here are some winter blooming plants that I am familiar with.

Helleborus Winter Jewels Cherry Blossom – Botanical name is the same
This is a new series of colored formed Hellebores called the Winter Jewels Cherry Blossom and these are beautiful. It offers large 3-inch blooms that remain attractive for weeks or even months. The blooms are almost translucent with a pale green, cream and white base slightly freckled in raspberry which builds up to a slender raspberry edge at the edge of each petal. There is also a faint green stripe up the center of each petal but what makes this flower so beautiful is the center of the bloom which is crowned with a thick heavy ruffled raspberry and maroon collar.

Cherry Blossom flowers from late winter and goes well into the spring on plants 20 inches high and 24 inches wide. These are also great as cut flowers. This is truly a great choice of perennial for winter to spring color in your garden. It is also deer and rabbit resistant and grows well in zones 4-8.

Cyclamen ‘Something Magic – Botanical name is the same
This is the first hardy Cyclamen to have been propagated by tissue culture. It blooms heavily in late winter and early spring and it is ideal for planting under trees, shrubs or in the border of your garden. The blooms are butterfly like in deep pink to lilac and are held on 6-inch stems of maroon-red color. These will definitely stand out in any bleak winter landscape.

The foliage looks great too because it is light cream and green with a large dark green blotch in the center that almost looks like there is another leaf on top of the first one for an eye-catching appeal. Something Magic goes dormant in the summer and comes back in the winter months. You can plant this beauty in zones 5-9.

Helleborus Niger – Botanical name is the same
Niger will give you at least three months of gorgeous blooms but prefers shade. It is considered a hard to find plant but loved by many gardeners worldwide. Large almost 2-inch flowers open in white and then matures to dusty pink.

The leaves are impressive as well in that these are evergreen, leathery looking to enhance Niger’s beauty. It blooms from winter to early spring adding gorgeous color to your garden when it needs it the most. It grows up to 12 inches high and grows well in zones 3-8.

I really hope you will consider some of these winter plants to add beauty to your garden during the winter months. No, your garden will not be overflowing with flowers like during the summer months, but you can add some color to the winter landscape with a few carefully chosen blooming plants.

To your gardening success,
Diana

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The problem is that if you’ve never garden before, you just don’t know where to start. The good news is that we now have many gardening books that will provide you with all the information necessary for you to have that flower garden of your dreams. Anyone can grow a beautiful garden. And to do this, here is one of my favorite ebooks on gardening ‘The Gardener’s Handbook’. This ebook was truly written for the amateur gardener and has all the information required for you to create a beautiful garden.

Even if you’ve never garden before, you will be thrilled with the complete and detailed information supplied in this ebook. I was really surprised to find out in this ebook that gardening can be easy, inexpensive and very rewarding. By following simple strategies, you can create an absolutely beautiful garden in a short period of time and it does not have to cost you a fortune.

Keep in mind that:
• even if you’ve tried and failed, you can have a thriving garden
• it doesn’t matter if you’ve never gardened before
• you don’t need to spend a fortune, you can start inexpensively
• whether you have a tiny window box or acres of land
• even if you don’t have any gardening tools, it is simple to get started

It does not matter the size of the garden plot you have, your time and budget constraints, or who you are, you can design a flower garden that allows you to express your creativity, to get closer to nature, and to just enjoy being you. Get the ‘The Gardener’s handbook‘ for step by step instructions on starting your dream garden.

To your gardening success,
Diana